A Christmas Carol
by Kyuuzie
Summary: SasuNaru: Sasuke Uchiha was a miserable person. He hates the life he lives, but he soon learns a lesson and regrets almost everything. In his meeting with the Ghosts, can the youngest Uchiha really change his outcome in life? Xmas fic!
1. Prologue

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A Christmas Carol – Naruto Style

_WARNING!!!_ CONTAINS SLASH AND MOST PROBABLY SOME KIND OF A LIME LATER ON!!! THERE ARE PAST HETRO COUPLES, AND I KNOW SOME PEOPLE WILL BE OFFENDED BY SOME!!! SO PLEASE, IF YOU DON'T LIKE, DON'T READ!!!!

**DISCLAIMER!!!!!: I do not own Naruto, nor do I own a Christmas Carol. Do I look rich or dead?? Sheesh... *walks off muttering***

**Pairings which are known thus far:  
SasuNaru (Sasu dominates in this one. Doesn't mean Naruto isn't hotttttt doing some of it as some times)**

**Sasu(previous GIRLfriend)**

_Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse... That's not right. We're telling the wrong story._

That much was obvious stupid...

_I am not stupid! Ne, this is our story. My name is Uzumaki Naruto, and this is my... uhh..._

Boyfriend, lover, intimate sex partner-

_Sasuke! You can't say that!_

I think I can, dobe.

_OI!! Stop with the name calling, teme!! Anyway, we're here to tell you a story-_

About me, of course

_Uhn, about Suke-kun. But it's mainly down to ME as he won't do ANYTHING at all... Lazy bastard..._

Dobe...

_Ahh!! Sasuke, I didn't mean it! I mean you- Nggh... Suke... don't..._

* * *

Hyuuga was dead first of all. There was no doubt about that. His funeral and everything had happened before they realised and now he was gone. Buried six feet underground. His cold body rotting away in the cold earth. Neji Hyuuga was as dead as a doornail.

Not that he actually knew what exactly it was about a doornail being particularly dead. Perhaps a coffin-nail was the deadest piece that was regarded, and so it was regarded so in the trade. But that really did not matter, so pardon if he says again, that Hyuuga was as dead as a doornail.

The youngest Uchiha knew that he was dead, of course he did. How else could it be otherwise? Hyuuga and Uchiha were partners after all. For how many years, neither of them preferred to remember, but it had been since the Uchiha was a teen, and therefore old enough to gain a job. The Uchiha was his sole executor, his sole administrator, his sole assign, his sole residuary legatee, his sole friend and his sole mourner. Even though the young Uchiha was not as dreadfully cut up and emotionally torn as he should have been by this sad happening, he was an excellent man of business, and his emotionless face and cold eyes were all that were shown during the funeral.

The mentioning of the funeral brings us back to the point on which we started. There is no doubt that Hyuuga Neji was dead. This must be understood before we continue, otherwise nothing can come out of this story that is about to be told. It's completely understandable. If we didn't understand that Trisha Elric was dead before the beginning of Full Metal Alchemist, then there would not be anything remarkably understandable in the story. After all, where would the boys have begun with becoming the great alchemists that they are?

Continuing with our story, the youngest Uchiha, who we shall call Sasuke, never painted out his partners name. There it stood, for months afterwards, right above their warehouse door; Uchiha and Hyuuga. It was as though it was Sasuke's way of mourning, but we shall never particularly know. The firm was known as Uchiha and Hyuuga. Some people called Sasuke, Uchiha, where as other times, some people would refer to him as Hyuuga. It didn;t matter to Sasuke. He answered to both names: it was all the same to him.

Oh! But he was an iron knife which had just left the grind-stone, that Uchiha! A squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, greedy, little sinner. He was hard and sharp, like a knife; secret and self-contained and as solitary as an oyster. The cold within his heart echoed on his face, which left him emotionless and hardy. His heart seemed to be made of rock.

But his bad features only seemed to balance out his looks. Sasuke was a very handsome young man. At the age of 24, Sasuke had shoulder-length hair which he styled to stick up at the back. Black orbs looked out into the world, which were cold, but so beautiful at the same time. Pale, flawless skin gave him an ethereal beauty, which made many women, and some men, chase after the young Uchiha. But he was never interested. He disregarded any suitors or potential love interests with barely a glance.

Sasuke Uchiha was not a warm person. In fact, he had his own type of temperature around him. He made things seem as though they were cold. The heat and cold had no real effect on Sasuke. Sure, it would seem as though it would, but Sasuke merely dressed according to the style of those around him. None of the summer warmth could warm him, none of the winter chill could chill him. No wind that blew bitterly around him, nor the snow that fell, nor the pelting rain bothered the Uchiha.

No one had ever stopped Sasuke on the street to say, with happy faces, "Dearest Uchiha-san, how are you? When will you come and visit next?" No beggars asked him for anything, no children laughed around him, no man or woman pursued him without it ending in tears or a broken heart.

But why would the youngest Uchiha care? Why would Sasuke, the cold, heartless person he was be concerned about what people thought? It was the kind of thing that he liked. To edge his way along the crowded paths of life, warding away all human sympathy, keeping his distance. Being emotionally attached was madness to him.

* * *

**Kyuubi: You're really going to let the idiot and his lover there take over this story?**

Fyawkes: Don't be so mean, Kyuu-kyuu. It's their turn to do something. After all, have I written a Naruto story before? Nope!! And so I am considering to do one now :P

**Kyuubi: Oh, don't tell me... You're going to get them to review if they like it or not, right? You realise that's the suckers way of doing things?**

Fyawkes: _*Eyes begin filling with tears*_ Why are you always so MEAN Kyuubi-No-Yoko?!

**Kyuubi: _*Blanches*_ Don't cry woman. Tears aren't fit for you...**

Fyawkes: _*Turns and runs away*_ Leooooo!!!!!

**Kyuubi: Awww.... Chikuso... Anyway, review and whatever. Say if you like it. I have a ningen to catch before I'm placed back into that disgusting form they call 'cute.'**

***Note to readers: There is something wrong with this story. But I have no clue what it is... Really... It could be with one of the characters, or perhaps it's Sasuke's description. I cannot remember for the life of me. Arrgh!! So annoying!! Has this ever happened to you before? You remember something is really wrong, and once you get to the page, you cannot remember what was wrong at all... ¬¬ Not funny at all... Anyway, please read and review. This story is in a kind of co-write, so you will have to wait a minimum of a day for the next installment. Don't worry, it'll all be done by New Years Day. Well, at least I HOPE it will... Readers of Baby Mine will know exactly what I'm on about me and my updating processes, but this is kind of a spontaneous thing. And if I don't finish this, my friend has several embarassing images they will put up on Facebook... My urgency is really that much more... Anyway, Read and Review. Cookies and presents to all!!! Don't blame me if you get a lump of coal in your stocking!! xP Fyawkes***


	2. The Beginning

Our story begins on the night of Christmas Eve, and the young Uchiha sat busy at his desk within his office. It was a cold and bleak, biting winter – fog clouded the area lightly, and you could faintly hear the people in the streets beating their hands together and stamping their feet, trying to warm themselves up. The bells at the church tower had already rung for four o'clock, but it was quite dark already. The day had barely been bright, the clouds covering the small village of Konoha throughout the day. Candles glowed dimly in the windows, highlighting where the offices across the road were, and several of them lined the panes of certain ones.

The door to Sasuke's office was open, so that he could keep an eye on his assistant – who sat behind a small desk with barely anything on it, merely a picture of his family, several incomplete papers and pens – completing the said papers. The room was set to a low temperature, Sasuke preferred it like that. But the room in which his assistant sat was very cold, almost a frigid air. The thermometer was in Sasuke's office, and the assistant would rather freeze than ask his boss for something. So instead, the assistant had placed a blanket around his shoulders, and tried to warm himself with a candle.

"Merry Christmas, Uncle Sasuke!" a cheerful voice called out from the front door. It was the voice of the young Uchiha's nephew-in-law – whom his brother's daughter had decided to marry. The young boy was slightly foolish, but he was good in heart and spirit. He looked quite plain, brown hair and brown eyes. Although, his hair did stick up in a peculiar way. It was unruly, but it suited the man.

"Che... Konohamaru, why are you here?" Sasuke asked, barely casting an eye over the young boy. Konohamaru wore a thick black cloak, wrapping heavily around his shoulders and covering his clothing completely. A blue scarf was wrapped only once around his neck, but it hung freely down the front of his cloak, reaching to the younger males knees. You could easily tell that the young boy was still cold from his run here. His cheeks were reddened and a smile so cheerful was across his face; his eyes sparkled with a hidden knowing and pure merriment.

"You and 'che', Uncle Sasuke. Especially now at Christmas." Konohamaru playfully scolded the older man, knowing that he was irking the man somewhat. "You really don't mean that. Christmas is a time–"

"I do." Sasuke said with such resolution that Konohamaru almost forgot what it was he came here for. "Merry Christmas? Why bother being merry? _You're_ not exactly rich now are you? There's no true reason for you to be 'merry.'"

"And what right do you have to be so grumpy, Uncle?" he returned quite happily. " What exactly is the reason for you to be so sad and upset? You're rich enough."

Sasuke scowled at the... boy. He had no answer for him, so he merely turned, saying, "Che."

Konohamaru groaned. "Don't be like that Uncle Sas'."

Sasuke glared at the younger, his eyes weighing heavily on him. "Don't call me 'Sas'. And what else can I be? I live in a world of weaklings. What's Christmas when you don't have the money to pay for things? When you find yourself aging even more whilst nothing works towards getting you stronger? If I had it my way, " Sasuke said indignantly, "Every person who went around saying 'Merry Christmas' would be boiled in his own pudding and buried with a stake in his heart. That's what should happen.

Konohamaru flinched slightly, but continued, pleading with his uncle. "Uncle! Plea—"

"Konohamaru!" Sasuke looked at the younger man sternly. "Celebrate Christmas in your own way, and let me celebrate how I want to."

"Celebrate..." Konohamaru repeated in a rather disbelieving tone before spluttering "B-but you don't even celebrate!"

"Well then." Sasuke said slightly politer than before, "Let me keep it that way. I would like to know whatever good celebrating it has ever been for you."

"There are many things in the world that I haven't profited from, but it has done some good." Konohamaru returned, his eyes looking over his uncle pensively. "Christmas is one of the few amongst many. But I'm sure that when it comes to Christmas time, it's the most charitable, kind, forgiving, pleasant time. It's the only time of the year that you find people opening their shut-up hearts freely and thinking of other people who they would usually turn their noses up at. And so, Uncle Sasuke, I believe that although Christmas takes just as much as it gives. It _has_ done me good, and will continue doing me good. And I say, merry indeed."

Sasuke's assistant applauded lightly, laughing lightly at the young man's speech, but he soon became aware that it wasn't exactly... appreciated by Sasuke (by the large glare on his face) and soon became quiet. He poked at the old radiator next to him and watched as it spluttered before giving out.

"If I hear so much as a peep from you," Sasuke began, his rage showing by his quiet voice and eyes which sparkled with danger, "you'll celebrate Christmas by being fired." He then turned to Konohamaru, who stood there, still looking pensive. "You are quite the speech-maker, boy. I wonder why you didn't go into politics...?"

Konohamaru grimaced before actually doing what he came for, "Don't be so angry, Uncle Sasuke. Come and have Christmas dinner with us tomorrow evening!"

Sasuke merely glared at Konohamaru, giving him his answer.

"But why, Uncle?" Konohamaru took a few steps closer, placing his hands on the edge of the desk. "Why won't you come?"

"Why did you have to marry my niece...?" Sasuke questioned, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger.

"Well, because I fell in love with Hikari."

"Fell in love?" Scoffed Sasuke. It seemed to be more ridiculous than Merry Christmas to him. "Goodbye Konohamaru."

"Oh, come on uncle. You never seemed to see me before I met 'Kari-chan, Why not now?"

"Goodbye Konohamaru,"

"I don't want anything else. Just for you to come to dinner. Why don't you like me?"

"Good. Bye. Konohamaru"

Konohamaru sighed with defeat, knowing that his uncle was firm in his resolve in not to come, "I'm sorry that you feel that way then, Uncle. We haven't really fought or argued much before, but I have made some kind of effort. So Merry Christmas, Uncle Sasuke."

Sasuke narrowed his eyes at the younger as he moved to stand back from the desk, his eyes starting to sparkle with pent up rage as he spoke in short, clipped words. "Good. Bye. Konohamaru."

A slightly cheeky smile came across the youth's face, "And a Happy New Year, to you too."

"Good BYE!"

Konohamaru left the room without saying much else. He stopped at the front entrance to give greetings to the assistant, who was – as cold as he was – warmer than Sasuke; because he returned them genially.

'_There's another person..._' Thought Sasuke to himself as he overheard the exchange. '_Who talks about a Merry Christmas. He has nothing to be happy for. A wife, several children – none of whom are actually his – and he earns a low pay._'

The assistant who, whilst letting Konohamaru out of the office, let two other people in. They were well-built men, pleasant to see, and stood, with their woolly hats off, in the youngest Uchiha's office. They had some books and papers in their hands, and they bowed to him.

"Mr. Uchiha's and Mr. Hyuuga's, I believe." Said one of the two, reading from his list. "Do I have the pleasure of addressing Mr. Uchiha, or Mr. Hyuuga?"

"Hyuuga died several months, possibly almost a year ago." Sasuke replied.

The man faltered slightly before continuing. He handed over his licence to the Uchiha. "Then I have no doubt that his generosity is being continued by his partner." Said the male again.

At the word 'generosity' Sasuke shoved the papers back into the man's hand. It was an ominous word, and he shook his head at the two.

"At this time of year, Mr. Uchiha," said the second male, who looked a bit younger than the other, picking up a pen. "It is more usual to make some kind of provision for the poor, destitute, who suffer more greatly than we do at this time. Many thousands of people are in need of certain necessities; hundreds of thousands want common comforts which are so regular to us."

"Aren't there shelters?"

"Plenty of those, sir." The first male said

"And the hostels, job centres...?"

"Yes, they are still in operation, Mr, Uchiha." The man replied again

"The Council are still helping them?"

"Well, yes, they are, but not by much-" The younger blustered along with this

"But they are still aiming to help them?"

"Yes, sir." The younger said resigned.

"Oh! Well, then I thought that from what you were saying that there was something stopping those from happening." Sasuke said, turning back to his own paperwork.

"Well, under the impression that they don't really provide all that much to people." The older returned to Sasuke's comment. "Some of us are going to raise a fund to buy the poorer people some food and drinks, as well as some clothes and blankets. We chose this time of year, well because it is a time when Want is felt more. So how much money should I place your name down for, Mr. Uchiha?"

Sasuke scoffed. "Nothing."

"Nothing? You don't want us to write your name? So you'll be anonymous? Is that what you want?"

"No, I want to be left alone on this day." Sasuke said quite testily. "Since you asked me what I want, I want to be left to myself and to celebrate in my own way. Therefore, I cannot make Christmas 'merry' for others. I help support those places that I've just listed. They cost enough by themselves. Why would I want to help anymore?"

"Many cannot go into those places. Quite a few would prefer to die"

"If they would rather die," Sasuke interrupted, "they ought to do it and stop whining. Therefore, they can decrease the extra on the population."

"But, Mr. Uchiha-!"

Sasuke merely glared before the two men gave up. They withdrew and said their goodbyes to the Uchiha. Sasuke returned to his papers, in more of a foul mood.


End file.
